SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Yonhap) -- Unification Minister Chung Dong-young vowed Friday to strengthen the ministry's leading role in Korean Peninsula policies during a briefing to President Lee Jae Myung. He stated that international sanctions on North Korea have lost effectiveness and plans to seek relief to resume engagement. Chung highlighted the period before U.S. President Donald Trump's April China visit as decisive, citing potential Trump-Kim Jong-un summit talks.
Unification Minister Chung Dong-young stated during a policy briefing to President Lee Jae Myung on Friday that the ministry, responsible for relations with Pyongyang, would "strengthen its leading role as a party directly involved in the Korean Peninsula issue."
Chung noted that international sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear and missile programs have "effectively lost their bite," and the ministry plans to seek relief to bolster inter-Korean and multilateral exchanges. "There are some arguments calling for the strengthening of sanctions on North Korea, but, realistically, sanctions against Pyongyang have lost their effectiveness," he said. He explained that North Korea's trade with China, its primary external commerce, now proceeds partly unscreened, and the regime views sanctions as "the most hostile" action.
Pursuing dialogue while maintaining sanctions is unacceptable to Pyongyang, Chung added. "It would be impossible to pursue dialogue while maintaining sanctions at a time when (North Korea) is calling for the lifting of hostile policies as a prerequisite for talks," he told reporters separately.
These sanctions reportedly link to the 2010 suspension of joint economic projects under the Lee Myung-bak administration after the North's torpedoing of the South Korean frigate Cheonan, halting trade, investment, and aid except humanitarian assistance.
Washington remains skeptical. Acting U.S. Ambassador to South Korea Kevin Kim told Chung last month that sanctions must be kept as "bargaining leverage" in potential talks with North Korea.
Chung described the lead-up to U.S. President Donald Trump's planned April visit to China as a "decisive" period for Korean Peninsula security, pointing to possible resumption of summit talks with Kim Jong-un. He proposed economic cooperation packages upon improved ties, including a bullet train linking Seoul to Beijing via North Korea, a multi-phased tourism plan for the Wonsan Kalma beach zone starting with Korean nationals abroad, and an escrow financial system for North Korea's trade under sanctions.
On the escrow arrangement, he said: "We would seek a system ... under which North Korea could import essential resources, such as livelihood goods or hygienic or medical supplies ... while exporting its mineral and rare earth resources, with the payments deposited into an escrow financial arrangement account so the international community can transparently scrutinize them." Escrow involves a neutral third party holding funds until transaction terms are met.
Chung emphasized that "major changes" are needed before realizing these projects.
